Non-slip grip for bathtubs



A. WEST.

NON-SLIP GR'IP FOR BATHTUBS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7. 1919.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT} OFFICE.

ARTHUR WEST, or CANANYDAIGUA, NEW O K.

'To all what mag concern: i Y

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canan- 'daigua, in the county-of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Slip Grips for Bathtubs, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates-to hand grips for bath tubs and similar containers and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character, capable of being readily attached to or detached from the rim of a bath tub and which, when in position thereon, will present a roughened surface at the rim of the tub which .may be conveniently grasped by the bather to prevent slipping or falling during the bathing operation or when leaving the tub after a bath.

he invention. further aims'to provide a hand grip including a tubular body having an attaching flange adapted to fit beneath the rim of a bath tub and provided with a depending portion which extends within the tub and frictionally enga es the inner wall thereof for holding the hand grip in position on said rim.

' The invention further contemplates providing the inner surface of the hand grip with a covering of yieldable material to prevent scratching or otherwise marring the polished surface of the tub.

' A still further object is generally to -im prove this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

Figure lis a perspective view of a portion of a bath tub showing my improved hand grip applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view;

. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hand grip detached and looking at the lower side thereof.

Corresponding and likeparts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views ofthe drawings by the,

same reference characters.

The improved hand grip forming the subject matter of the resent invention may be applied to bath tu s and similar containers and by way of illustration is shown incon- NON-SLIP GRIP FOR BATH'rUBs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

construction in which 5 designates the body of the tub and 6 the rim.

The device comprises-a tubularmem'ber 7 Patented Feb. 3, 1920. Application filed April 7, 1919. SeriaLNo. 287,995. 9 i

preferably stamped or otherwise formed into substantially cylindrical sha e from a single length of resilient materia and having its longitudinal edges spaced apart to form an opening 8 at the bottom thereof and extending the entire length of the tubular member, as shown. One edge of the metal of which the tubular member is formed is bent inwardly to form an attaching flange 9 adapted toextend beneath and frictionally engage the. rim 6 of the bath tub, while the other longitudinal edge of 1 thetubular member isbent or deflected upwardly at an angle thereto to form a flange 10 adapted tdbear; against and frictionally engage the inner wallof the tub. The exterior of the tubular member 7 is preferably covered b a strip of lon itudinally corrugated rubber or other yiel dable material 11 so as to form, a roughened surface which may be conveniently grasped-by the bather to prevent slipping or falling during'the bathing operation or when leaving'the tub after a bath. The yieldable covering 11 is retained in position on the exterior of the tubular member 7 by bendingthe metal at the outer edges of the flanges 9 and 10 to produce hooked portions 12 which receive the adjacent ends of the covering 11, asbest shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Arrangedwithin the tubular member and secured thereto by glue or other adhesive is an inner lining 13 also preferably formed ofcor'rugated rubber and which serves to prevent scratching or otherwise marring the polished surface of the rim of the tub when the hand grip is applied thereto. The inner covering 13 preferably terminates short of the free end of the flange 10, as indicated at 14, so as not to interfere with theresiliency ofthe tubular member andthus permit the flange 10 to frictionally engage the inner wall ofthe tub with a suflicient degree of firmness to hold the hand grip against accidental displacement onsaid'rim, The main body of the tubular member 7 is curved to conform to and encircles the major portion of the rim of the tub, while the flanges 9 thereon, as previously stated.

' yond the adjacent ends of and 10 by engagement with the edge of the rim and inner wallof the tub retain the grip in position thereon.

In using the device, the flange 9 isinserted under the longitudinal edge of the rim 6, after which the main body portion thereof is expanded slightly and passed over the upper surface of the rim and in which position the flange 10 will frictionally engage the inner wall of the tub with sufficient firmness to hold the hand grip It will here be noted that the hooked terminal 12 of the attaching flange 9 produces a raised portion or shoulder 15 at the terminal of the flange which shoulder bears against the lower longitudinal edge of the rim of the tub and assists in holding the device in position on the tub. It will, furthermore, be noted that owing to the fact that the inclined flange 10 is spaced from the inner wall of the tubular member 7, the outer wall of said tubular member will present a yieldable surface or cushion within the tub and thus prevent injury to the bather. The material forming the outer and inner coverings l1 and 13 is preferably extended longitudinally "bethe tubular memher so as to house and protect the metal and 'or otherwise lacerating the prevent the sharp edges thereof from coming in contact with the bather flesh.

While the device is preferably constructed from a single sheet of resilient metal it will, of course, be understood that the hand grips may be molded or otherwise formed from gutta-pe'rcha or other suitable material possessing the requisite resiliency to retain the hand grip in position on the rim ofa tub. 1 It will also be understood that the hand grips may be made in different sizes A and shapes to conform to different styles of bath tubs and that the exterior of the tubular member may be provided with any de sired roughened surface toprevent slipping of the hands when the grip is grasped in the act of raising or lowering ones self within the tub. I

Having thus described the "invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A hand grip including a longitudinally'splittubular member adapted to fit over the rim of a bath tub and having its opposite longitudinal edges extended upwardly within. said member to provideflange's, one of which is adapted for engagement beneath said rim and the other adapted to extend within the tub and fric- 'tionally engage the inner wall of said tub.

2. A hand grip including a tubular member adapted to fit over the rim of a bath tub and provided with a roughened exterior surface, sald member being provided with means for engagement beneath the rim and having one edge thereof extended upwardly and cutting of said member being provided with an attaching flange for engagement beneath the edge of the rim and another edge of said member being extended upwardly within said tubular member to form a flange adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of the tub, and acovering for the inner and outer walls of said tubular member.

-l. A hand grip including a longitudinally split tubular member adapted to fit over the rim of a bath tub and having 'one edge thereof adapted to extend beneath the lower edge of the rim and its opposite edge bent upon itself and, extended upwardly within said tubular member and at an angle thereto to form a flange adapted to fritptionally engage the inner wall of the tu 5. A hand grip including a longitudinally split tubular member having oneedge thereof bent inwardly to form a flange adapted to lit beneath the edge of the rim of a bath tub and its opposite longitudinal edge bent upwardly to forman inclined flange adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of the tub, the material of which the tubular member is formed being bent upon itself at said flanges to produce terminal hooks, and a covering extending over the exterior of the tubular member with its ends engaged by said hooks.

6. A hand grip including a longitudinally split tubular member having one edge thereof bent inwardly to form an attachin flange adapted to en age beneath the rim 0 a bath tub and itsv 051 and upwardly within an attachin flange adapted to extend bethe tubular men'1-- .ber and at an angle to the attaching V flange to form a flange for bath tubs including.

er e'dge bent inwardly adapted-to frictionthe inner wall of the tub, a-

neath the rim of a bath tub andits other edge bent upwardly and inwardly in spaced relation to the inner wall of the tubular member and above the upper surface of the attaching flange to form a flange adapted to bear against the inner wall of the tub, and a yieldable covering for the inner and outer walls of the tubular member.

8. A hand grip including a longitudinally terminals of the split tubular member having its edges bent inwardly to form flanges, one of which is adapted to extend beneath the rim of a bath tub and the other to frictionally engage the inner Wall of said bath tub, a yieldable covering for the inner and outer Walls of the tubular member,- means arranged at the flanges for securing the outer covering in position on the tubular member, the material at the securing means 10 of one of the flanges forming a shoulder adapted to bear against the inner edge of the rim of the tub.-

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

ARTHUR WEST. 1,. 5.]- 

